RSS denies supporting Muslim man’s lynching

The RSS on Sunday described as “false and baseless” reports that it supported the lynching of a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh over rumours that he ate beef.

As the media carried excerpts from an article in RSS Hindi journal “Panchjanya” virtually justifying the murder of Mohammad Akhlaq in Uttar Pradesh, the RSS said the magazine was not its mouthpiece.

“The report that RSS supports the Dadri incident is blatantly false and baseless,” a statement by RSS spokesman Manmohan Vaidya said, referring to the place where the gory murder took place on 28 September.

The magazine also justified the attack on Akhlaq, 50, by quoting Newton’s theory of “natural reaction to any action”.

The RSS denial also came on a day when BJP president Amit Shah, speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pulled up five BJP leaders for making controversial statements on beef consumption and the Muslim man’s murder.